Republican candidate for governor Mark Green is using nearly $468,000 in contributions from political action committees that could not make donations to Wisconsin candidates, a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign review has found.
Green’s PAC Money Violates State Campaign Finance Laws in More Ways Than One

Review finds donations came from PACs not registered in Wisconsin

August 22, 2006

Madison –

The contributions were part of $511,405 in PAC contributions he received between 2002 and January 2005 as a congressman, and later transferred to his state campaign account to run for governor. State law requires PACs that want to contribute to candidates for legislative and statewide offices in Wisconsin to register with the state Elections Board.

This requirement is important because the registration statement discloses information important to the public – such as the organization, business or other type of group that is using the committee to contribute to and influence the candidates.

The WDC review of Green’s transferred PAC contributions found that $467,844.60 came from federal committees that have never registered to do business in Wisconsin, or registered well after the contributions were made or Green’s account transfer occurred (See Table 1). Only $43,560.71 came from PACs registered with the Elections Board when the contributions were made (See Table 2).

The Elections Board agreed to review Green’s transferred PAC contributions at an August 30 meeting in response to a July 24 Democracy Campaign memo to board members urging them to enforce the legal limit of $485,000 that a candidate for governor may raise from PACs in a four-year election cycle. In addition to the $511,405 in PAC contributions he transferred from his federal campaign account, Green has raised an additional $156,140 in PAC contributions for a total of $667,545.

In a memo sent to board members today, WDC is asking the Elections Board to require Green to comply with state campaign finance laws governing both the amount and the source of PAC contributions he can accept.

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign is working for a real democracy that allows the common good to prevail over narrow interests. We track the money in state politics and fight for campaign finance and other democracy reforms. WDC is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and charitable contributions supporting our work are fully tax deductible when you itemize.